Birthday Boy dinner

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Mandy

One of my biggest goals in wifehood (is that a real thing?) is to become the better gift giver.

Yeah, it’s a competition. Historically, one I’ve always lost, which is why there’s been need for change. Or shall I say, which is why I have consciously changed things around here. I did well my first Christmas as a wife, but I knew I’d have to step it up for my (new!) husband’s January 9 birthday.

I had heard about a little place just outside Green Bay, Wisconsin with to-die-for dinner options and a chef’s table. So, I made a reservation at Chives, 1749 Riverside Drive, Suamaco, which is rumored to be Aaron Rodgers’ favorite dinner place when he’s in town. Legend has it, the chef’s table was created just for him.

The cost of the table – for 2 or for 12 – is $65 per person (plus a bottle of wine, in our case, duh) and is worth every penny.

When we arrived, the chef, JR, came over to tell us how the evening would go. He’d just cook us a bunch of stuff, he said. And we’d eat. I. AM. IN.

First course: Fried Oysters with Vegetable Slaw and Remoulade (menu price $18). Sadly, I was so excited for the food to start coming that I forgot to snap a photo of the first course. I know, right? Anyway, I don’t think I’ve ever tried an oyster before because I think I though you had to slurp them out of a shell and I was never really interested. However, the dish wasn’t like what I had in my head about oysters. These were perfectly breaded and cooked, not fishy or slimy at all and had a great flavor. I liked how the zing from the slaw balanced the dish.

Second course: Grilled Asparagus with Miso Butter, Bacon and Poached Egg (menu price $10). I have always, always been an asparagus fan, so I was really excited when I caught a glimpse of this dish being prepared. This was amazing, one of my favorite courses, even. I was worried about Jeff on this one because he can be a little weird with runny eggs, but he too loved the dish.

Third course: We didn’t find this course on the regular menu. It was a porchini mushroom sauce over fresh wide noodle pasta topped with truffle oil and foie gras shavings. Jeff hates mushrooms, and always has, with all of his being. It’s the one food he won’t eat. He, with all of his being, loved this dish. Several times he called it, “earthy,” and he was right.

Fourth course: French Style Flounder with Artichoke and Pico (a similar menu item was priced at $32). I’ll always order the fish dish, so I was glad when this was placed in front of me. JR said the fish is breaded opposite from what you would expect. Flour, then egg, he said.The photo expresses my excitement over the fish; I almost forgot to take a photo!

Fifth course: The meat course. JR and his crew (which, by the way is totally a well-oiled machine. The kitchen is quiet, well traveled around and through, cordial. Our waiter told us that many of them have worked at Chivers for five plus years, and they really are a family.) prepared us a cracked pepper tenderloin with a brandy sauce. It was served with home fries and green beans. The steak was cooked more rare than I would have ever prepared a steak for myself. However, it was tender, not bloody and flavorful. I loved it.

Dessert course: It was our lucky day (or perhaps the fact we had Birthday Boy in the house). We were served two desserts!

One of the desserts was a pana cotta with a bourbon sauce. I liked it. It was smooth and sweet. However, the Smores Creme Brule stole the show for me. It was, hands down, my favorite part of the meal. This is very surprising because I am never the dessert person. The marshmallow and graham crackers were even home made.

Everything was so great that we’d love to try Chives again. We’d like to go back and eat dinner off of their regular menu sometime.

JR was an all-around nice guy, sharing tidbits about the dishes and stories with us. I think the interaction was a really nice touch for a special evening like Jeff’s birthday. At the end of our meal, I asked him if he’d take a photo with us.

Side note, cool thing: JR and his wife run a fantastic nonprofit called Seven Loaves Project. During our dinner, he brought over his iPad so we could learn a little more about the project, which essentially builds bakeries so people in Africa have something to eat.

The experience was great, the food was amazing, the setting was cool and I think I might even win the best gift award. The Birthday Boy has been talkin’ about dinner since we left. Love it.

(Happy (early) Birthday, Jeff. I love you!)

Categories: Around town, Cha Ching, Foodies, In love, Just talkin', Out to eat | Leave a comment

Coconut

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Mandy

In adulthood, coconut is one of the things I’ve really grown to love.

While I don’t ever remember declaring I hated coconut, I know I wouldn’t have even considered it as an ingredient a few years ago. However, you might remember my making of coconut shrimp recently, which I love and was also a hit with Jeff’s family.

In the Dominican Republic, coconuts were very popular. There was the Coco Loco drink, which essentially was a Pina Colada inside a coconut. So yum!

You’d also, obviously, find coconut in many other drinks like the mango colada. I also fell in love with the coconut macaroon-like cookies.

And so, now that I’m back in Oshkosh, I’m craving coconut like a crazy woman. As it turns out, there isn’t a guy with a machete in our living room ready to make me a drink.

So, I have to settle on things that come from around here. Haagen-Dasz’s pineapple coconut ice cream does the trick when I’m having a coconut craving, as does International Delight’s Almond Joy coffee creamer.

If you have any coconut recipes to share (especially if they aren’t baking recipes), I’ll take them!

Before I go, I must also comment on the pineapples. They were also to die for.

In fact, I ate so much pineapple (usually my breakfast of choice each morning) I’m pretty sure I gave myself a cold sore. So, on the later days of our trip I had to slow down on the pineapple (not the booze, don’t you worry). It was hurting my lips!

Before we left, I knew the fruit on the trip would be one of my favorite things. And really, it was. It was all fresh and sweet and so very refreshing after a swim in the ocean or pool (we’re underwater in our hotel the photo below (yes I’m in my swimsuit on the Internet, but you sort of have to be for an underwater camera photo)). I miss that place.

Categories: Cha Ching, Family, In love, Just talkin', Picture perfect | Leave a comment

New Year’s Resolution

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Mandy

As far as years go, 2011 was a busy one.

I didn’t write as much as I wanted to and the plan for 2012 is to change that. So, I’ve developed a list of things I’d like to attempt cooking in 2012. My thought is cooking new recipes will give me a lot to talk about and no excuse not to blog.

So, the list:

  • Home made pasta. Like, from scratch. For Christmas, Jeff’s family got us the pasta maker attachment for our Kitchen Aid mixer. We’re excited to try it out.
  • Beef wellington. This comes by recommendation from the chef at the restaurant where Jeff bartends.
  • A lamb dish. I’ve never tried to prepare lamb, so it’s time.
  • A veal dish. I don’t use veal nearly enough.
  • A Julia Child recipe. I put this on the list because I haven’t prepared anything from her giant cookbook since the challenge I participated in.
  • Tamales. We both love tamales so much. I hear they actually aren’t that hard to make. I’m up for the challenge.
  • Submit a 24X24 concept to Foodbuzz. Even if I’m not selected, make some variation of the meal.

Truth is, I’d like to add three more to this list. I’m looking for ideas of dishes that are classics that I probably haven’t tried to prepare or dishes that are a little bit of a challenge. However, I feel this list is a very good start.

Besides writing more, I’d also like to photograph more. When we got smartphones, I got in the horrible habit of leaving my real camera in its bag. I snap crappy photos with my phone of the yummy stuff we make instead of taking the two minutes to pull out my precious Nikon. This year, I’m reverting back to a camera that can do my food some justice. Resolution two is to photograph better and more.

With that, I wish you a happy, healthy and delicious 2012!

Categories: Holidays, Just talkin', Picture perfect | 1 Comment

Chicken (on the beach)

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Mandy

As you know, I’m not much of a chicken fan.

Which isn’t really even true.

If I came to your house for dinner and you made chicken, I’d eat it. And, I’d probably really like it. I just don’t prepare chicken. In the six plus years Jeff and I have been together I’ve prepared and subsequently eaten chicken approximately three times.

Enter, our trip.

Each day on the beach,  around noon, it would start to smell good, like the sweet smell of grill. Made you miss Wisconsin a little, even. The smell was from the big grills they’d get going for a barbeque of sorts on the beach. And the chicken, along with everything else, was amazing. The chicken was usually served with seafood-loaded rice, which was also too good to pass up.

There were also woodfired pizzas, hot dogs, egg rolls, burgers and more. Even better, the service was over-the-top good. Everything always came with a smile and if you asked for something special, the cooks were always agreeable. I always asked for white meat and then they’d proceed to use a giant knife to just chop the whole chicken in half.

I honestly do not know what it was about the chicken. Usually, I don’t really like to look at chicken because it’s gross and slimy and reminds me it was once alive with cartilage and stuff. But this chicken was really juicy and really tender and didn’t remind me it used to be alive. Except for that part where there was an alive chicken who roamed by the bar about 20 yards away. The other interesting thing I noticed about their food in general, including the chicken, is they hardly use any seasoning. I noticed you could really taste the flavor of the meat, poultry and fish there because the seasoning was so minimal.

I’m not sure if I’ll become a chicken eater (or preparer) here at home. Again, there’s something about it’s raw form that I think is kind of gross. However, I don’t think I’ll be so hard on chicken, either. I don’t think I really can be after eating it and enjoying it so much on the trip.

I might even stop saying, “Uhhh, I hate chicken.”

Categories: Grilling, In love | Leave a comment

Resolution help needed

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Mandy

A few years back, I made a new year’s resolution to try one new recipe per month.

These days, I sometimes feel like I hardly cook once per month. Now, that’s kind of an exaggeration, but the fact is, I sucked at blogging in 2011. I want to change that for 2012.

So, I’m thinking something along the lines of try making these 10 things. However, I don’t have the list of “these” developed, yet. Which is why I need help. What 10 things should I attempt to make this year?

In turn, cooking 10 new things will force me to blog more, which is my real resolution. No excuses!

The only must-make item I have on the list so far is homemade pasta, which is inspired by the pasta maker Kitchen Aid attachment we received for Christmas.

Help! Thanks.

Categories: Holidays, Just talkin' | 2 Comments

Memories

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Mandy

Reminiscing about our trip is still a daily occurrence around here.

We dream of the sunshine and umbrella drinks, we think about poking around the buffets to check out all the cool options, the outdoor sports we did like dune buggies and ATVs and we think about the times we spent with great friends and family.

And in true things-that-matter-to-Jeff-and-Mandy form, one of our favorite memories happened with our friends around a dinner table. The night my best friend arrived – Wednesday, or day 3 for us – we all decided to try out the Italian restaurant. And there’s something about sitting around the table looking at two strong, married-before-us and still very happy couples. It’s inspiring to be around, really. Especially in the nights leading up to your very own wedding.

Prior to leaving our trip, Jeff and I had decided the Italian restaurant would be the “safe” restaurant. I think we also thought it wouldn’t be the greatest meal we’d eat. We were wrong! Plus, they kept the wine coming, something we really cannot complain about!

As a group, all three couples kind of decided that we’d do all the dishes we ordered family style so everyone would be able to try a lot of things. All of the food was amazing and the company was something we’ll never forget about when we think about our trip. We’ll talk about that meal for years and years to come.

As it turns out, we liked the Italian restaurant so much that during our four days alone on the island, we went back. And, I ordered a chicken dish. I cannot think of a time I’ve ever ordered a chicken dish at a restaurant in my adult life. The dish was amazing.

Fair to say the restaurant had a lasting impression on us.

I leave you with a few more photos from the evening.

 

Categories: BFFs, Friends, In love, Picture perfect, Restaurant review, Wine! | Leave a comment

Mr. and Mrs. Potts

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Mandy

We’re married. I’m a wife!

I have many things to write about the trip. The food. Ohhh, the French restaurant. And the wine, and sushi and chocolate sauce.

My new year’s resolution goes like this: Blog. Like you mean it. And so, in 2012, I promise, promise, promise to tell all the wedding trip foodie stories and more. Happy Holidays, friends!

Categories: Cha Ching, Family, Friends, Holidays, Out to eat, Picture perfect | Leave a comment